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“We were very excited to confirm the information that we thought to be true,” Paul J. Casey, the CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Garfield, told CLIFFVIEW PILOT.
The study found “tremendous” social and economic benefits for New Jersey members, parents and communities that have Boys & Girls Clubs.
“At first glance, the Clubs can be praised for the social benefits that they create in the state,” wrote Professor Jamshid Damooei of Damooei Global Research. “However, by digging deeper, it becomes readily apparent that these social benefits create tremendous economic value in New Jersey.”
For example, Damooei found:
Every $1 spent by the Clubs to provide a safe after-school environment can save $2 annually on costs communities could have incurred for teenage pregnancies and births, underage drinking and expenditures for the criminal justice system.
For every $1 spent by the Clubs, $1.45 of increased earnings is generated through the increased lifetime earnings of Club members, whose school performance and graduation rates improve through educational assistance.
Every $1 spent by the Clubs can generate $9 of earnings by parents, who can keep their jobs due to high-quality, low-cost after-school supervision offered by the Clubs.
It goes beyond that, the professor wrote:
More than 60% of registered Club members reported reaching or maintaining a healthy weight by participating in physical activities; and 62.4% of parents report that their children have made better food and drink choices since attending Boys & Girls Clubs.
20.4% of parents whose children attend the Clubs have been able to pursue further education or skills training.
“The tremendous economic rate of return is a testament to the vital role the Clubs play in shaping the lives and futures of members and their parents, as well as the community,” said Boys & Girls Clubs CEO Connie Ludwin.
Nearly two dozen Boys & Girls Clubs in New Jersey serve 85,000 children ages 6-18. as part of a network of 4,000 neighborhood-based facilities serving more than 4.6 million young people annually in all 50 states and on U.S. military bases worldwide.
The Boys & Girls Club of Garfield, established in 1959, serves more than 1,500 multi-ethnic children annually.
The goal: “To inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential.”
The programs emphasize leadership development, education and career exploration, financial literacy, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation, and family outreach.
This year’s “Cruise For a Cause,” on June 16, departs from Hoboken’s 14th Street pier at 7 p.m. and returns at 11:30 p.m. aboard the Cornucopia Destiny Yacht.
The cruise of New York Harbor includes dinner, open bar, a casino night and live entertainment.
Special emcees for the evening are Don and Dave LaGreca of 1050 ESPN Radio and Sirius Radio.
Tickets are $200 before May 25 and $225 after.
GO TO: BGC Cruise for a Cause
Or call Casey: 973-478-7662, ext. 12.
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